HC Deb 08 December 2003 vol 415 cc265-6W
Mrs. Iris Robinson

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he has taken to issue clear advice on the risk of breast cancer from hormone replacement therapy; and if he will make a statement. [142699]

Angela Smith

Three Professional letters on the subject of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have been issued recently by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to medical, nursing and pharmaceutical health professionals in Northern Ireland. These are:

  1. Risks and Benefits of HRT—Results of the US Women's Health Initiative and Implications for Long-term use of Combined HRT, issued 11 July 2002.
  2. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and Breast Cancer—results of the UK Million Women Study, issued 8 August 2003.
  3. Further Advice on Safety of HRT: Risk Benefit Unfavourable for First-line use in Prevention of Osteoporosis, issued 4 December 2003.

The latter two letters have been in response to information from Professor Gordon Duff, Chairman of the Committee on Safety of Medicines, and have contained the same information as issued by the Department of Health to health professionals in England.